The present invention relates to a writing implement of a direct liquid type such as a ballpoint pen, a felt-tip pen or the like, further particularly to a writing implement having a temporary ink reserve part, between a tip and the ink tank, for adjusting a variation in pressure inside an ink tank.
Conventionally, there has been provided a writing implement such as a ballpoint pen having a collector forming a temporary ink reserve part, between a tip and an ink tank, for adjusting a variation in pressure inside the ink tank.
An explanation will be given to a conventional writing implement of this kind in reference to an illustrated example.
FIG. 10 is a sectional side view of essential portions of a conventional ballpoint pen and FIG. 11 is a sectional side view of a collector.
Around an outer periphery of the collector 100, there are provided ink guide grooves 130 deposited from an ink tank 120 toward a tip 110 forming a writing end, air grooves 140 deposited from the tip 110 to the ink tank 120 so as not to intersect with the ink guide grooves 130, and a number of temporary ink reserve grooves 150 formed to intersect with the ink guide grooves 130 and the air grooves 140. A temporary ink reserve part is formed by the ink guide grooves 130, the air grooves 140, and the temporary ink reserve grooves 150.
Further, at a center of the collector 100 there is provided an ink guide hole 160 penetrated from an end portion of the ink tank 120 to an end portion of the tip 110. Further, the ink guide hole 160 is inserted with an ink guide core 161 to guide ink from the ink tank 120 to the tip 110.
Further, the collector 100 is provided with a number of fins 170 provided to narrow intervals therebetween. Further, the temporary ink reserve groove 150 is formed by gaps between the fins 170. Further, the ink guide grooves 130 and the air grooves 140 are formed to penetrate the fins 170.
A further explanation will be given to the collector 100 as follows.
The temporary ink reserve groove 150 is formed by the gaps of a number of the fins 170 provided by the collector 100.
Further, the ink guide groove 130 is formed to penetrate a number of the fins 170 from the ink tank 120 to the tip 110, and communicates with the temporary ink reserve groove 150 and the ink tank 120. Further, at an end portion of the ink guide groove 130 on the side of the tip 110, there is provided a tip-side projecting portion 180, and by the tip-side projecting portion 180, the ink guide grooves 130 are prevented from directly communicating with outside of the ballpoint pen. Further, a rear end position of the collector 100 where the ink guide grooves 130 open to the ink tank 120 is made to constitute an air exchanging portion 135 where open airflows into the ink tank 120. Further, a width of the ink guide groove 130 is formed to be narrower than a width of the temporary ink reserve groove 150.
Further, the air groove 140 is formed to penetrate a number of the fins 170 from the tip 110 to the ink tank 120, and communicates with the temporary ink reserve groove 150 and outside of the ballpoint pen. Further, at an end portion of the air groove 140 near the ink tank 120, there is provided an ink-tank-side projecting portion 190, and by the ink-tank-side projecting portion 190, the air groove 140 is prevented from directly communicating with the ink tank 120. Further, a width of the air groove 140 is formed to be wider than a width of the temporary ink reserve groove 150.
Next, an explanation will be given to a function or the like of the collector 100.
The ink inside the ink tank 120 is normally guided to the tip 110 by the capillary force of the ink guide core 161 inserted into the ink guide hole 160.
Further, when the pressure inside the ink tank 120 increases relatively to the atmospheric pressure by a rise of temperature of ink or the like inside the ink tank 120 or by a variation in the atmospheric pressure, the ink inside the ink tank 120 is conducted through the ink guide groove 130 and reaches the temporary ink reserve groove 150. Therefore, even when the pressure inside the ink tank 120 increases relatively to the atmospheric pressure by the variation in the pressure inside the ink tank 120, the ink does not leak out from a front end of the tip 110.
Further, when the pressure inside the ink tank 120 reduces relatively to the atmospheric pressure by consuming the ink inside the ink tank 120, by temperature fall of ink or the like inside the ink tank 120, or by the variation in the atmospheric pressure, the ink inside the temporary ink reserve groove 150 is conducted through the ink guide groove 130 and flows into the ink tank 120 to increase pressure inside the ink tank 120. Therefore, even when the pressure inside the ink tank 120 reduces relatively to the atmospheric pressure by the variation in the pressure inside the ink tank 120, the ink soaked in the ink guide core 160 cannot be drawn into the ink tank 120.
Further, when the pressure inside the ink tank 120 reduces and an amount of ink inside the temporary ink reserve groove 150 is very little, the air outside the ballpoint pen is conducted through the air grooves 140, the temporary ink reserve grooves 150 and the ink guide grooves 130, flowing from the air exchanging portion 135 into the ink tank 120 to increase the pressure inside the ink tank 120. Therefore, even when the pressure inside the ink tank 120 is reduced, the ink soaked in the ink guide core 161 cannot be drawn into the ink tank 120.
In this way, the collector 100 achieves a function of stably supplying ink from the ink tank 120 to the tip 110 by adjusting a variation in pressure inside the ink tank 120.
Meanwhile, when a total length of the above-described collector is extended, a capability of adjusting with regard to the variation in pressure inside the ink tank can be promoted. However, on the other hand, a distance from the front end of the tip to a rear end of the ink guide groove 130 is prolonged, and, when the front end of the writing implement is directed downwardly, head pressure applied to the front end of the tip is increased. Therefore, there poses a problem that the constitution operates adversely to leaking out of ink from the front end of the tip.
Conversely, when the total length of the collector is shortened, although ink can be prevented from leaking out from the front end of the tip, there poses, on the other hand, a problem that the capability of adjusting with regard to the variation in pressure inside the ink tank is reduced.
Therefore, there has been requested a writing implement of a direct liquid type in which, even when a total length of the collector is extended, the ink is not leaked out from a front end of a tip.
Hence it is an object of the invention described in claim 1 to provide a writing implement capable of preventing a pressure adjusting function from reducing while reducing head pressure applied to an ink guide core by disposing an air exchanging portion to a writing end rather than a position of a rear end of a temporary ink reserve part.
It is also an object of the invention described in claim 1 to provide a writing implement in which air is not hampered from flowing into an ink tank, and an ink solution communicates excellently with a temporary ink reserve part and which is provided with prompt response performance in adjusting pressure inside the ink tank.
Further, it is an object of the invention described in claim 1 to provide a writing implement for forming always stable head pressure by disposing the air exchanging portion always at a constant position and disposing the air exchanging portion firmly to a side of the writing end rather than the rear end portion of the temporary ink reserve groove.
Further, it is an object of the invention described in claim 4 to provide a writing implement forming the air exchanging portion swiftly and firmly by making an ink solution flow in addition to the above-described objects of the invention.
Further, it is an object of the invention described in claim 5 to provide a writing implement for facilitating to form an ink guide groove in addition to the above-described respective objects of the invention.
Further, it is an object of the invention described in claim 6 in the present invention to provide a writing implement such as a ballpoint pen for preventing ink from leaking out from a front end of a tip even when a total length of a collector is prolonged by constituting a collector formed with a temporary ink reserve part and the like by a principal portion, a partitioning portion provided continuously to the principal portion on its side to the ink tank and an extended portion provided continuously to the partitioning portion on its side to the ink tank, providing an air exchanging hole communicating with the ink guide groove at an outer periphery of the partitioning portion and providing an ink introducing groove continuous to the air exchanging hole at an outer periphery of the extended portion.
Further, it is an object of the invention described in claim 7 in the present invention to provide a writing implement for making air bubbles inside the ink guide groove flow swiftly to the ink tank by forming the ink guide groove such that the tip side is made shallow and ink tank side is made deep in addition to the object of the invention described in claim 6.
Further, it is an object of the invention described in claim 8 in the present invention to provide a writing implement for filling the ink introducing groove swiftly with ink by providing a face-cut portion at a surrounding of the ink introducing groove in addition to the object of the invention described in claim 6 or claim 7.
According to the invention described in claim 1 in the invention, there is provided a writing implement which is a writing implement of a direct liquid type having an ink tank (30) and having an ink flowing portion for connecting the ink tank (30) and a writing end (20), a temporary ink reserve part for temporarily holding ink and an air supplying portion for supplying air at the temporary ink reserve part, wherein the temporary ink reserve part comprises lateral grooves for constituting a plurality of temporary ink reserve grooves (52, 72) for temporarily holding ink by a capillary force, and vertical grooves constituting ink guide grooves (51, 71) for enabling to exchange air to inside of the ink tank (30) while communicating the temporary ink reserve groove (52, 72) and the ink tank (30) and by constituting an ink introducing groove (71) by a portion at a vicinity of the ink tank (30) constituting a portion of the ink guide groove (51, 71) a distance G from the writing end (20) to an end portion of the temporary ink reserve groove (52, 72) on a side thereof to the ink tank (30) and a distance H from the writing end (20) to the ink introducing groove (71) of the ink guide groove (51, 71), is brought into a relationship shown below:
G greater than H.
Here, a xe2x80x9ctemporary ink reserve groove (52, 72)xe2x80x9d is a slender gap formed in a ring-like shape centering on a center line of the writing implement and is formed by a number of pieces of slender gaps formed along the center line of the writing implement.
Further, an xe2x80x9cink guide groove (51, 71)xe2x80x9d is a slender groove formed from a side of the ink tank (30) to a side of the tip (20) and penetrates the temporary ink reserve groove (52, 72). Further, the ink guide groove (51, 71) is formed not to communicate directly with outside of the writing implement. Further, a large portion of the ink guide groove (51, 71) is formed substantially similar to the ink guide groove (130) provided at the conventional collector (100) and a portion thereof at a vicinity of the ink tank (30) is constituted by the ink introducing groove (71) constituting the wide groove.
Further, an xe2x80x9cair supplying portionxe2x80x9d is formed by a groove formed from the side of the tip (20) to the side of the ink tank (30) by penetrating the temporary ink reserve groove (52, 72) while being prevented from intersecting with the ink introducing groove (51, 71). Further, the air supplying portion is not directly opened to the ink tank (30) and communicates with outside of the writing implement.
Further, a xe2x80x9cwriting end (20)xe2x80x9d is a front end of a ballpoint pen or a felt-tip pen and is a portion for writing diagrams or characters by coating ink on paper or the like.
In this way, by making the distance G from the writing end (20) to the end portion of the temporary ink reserve groove (52, 72) on the side to the ink tank larger than the distance H from the writing end (20) to the ink introducing groove (71) of the ink guide groove (51, 71), head pressure applied on an ink guide core is reduced, thereby, ink can be prevented from leaking from the writing end (20).
Further, the invention described in claim 1 is characterized in that the ink introducing groove (51) is constituted by a slender groove opening to a number of the temporary ink reserve grooves (52) and forming a meniscus by ink at the ink introducing groove (71) and a wide groove (71) for releasing ink from a capillary force of the slender groove, the ink introducing groove (71) constituted by the wide groove (71) is formed from a side of the ink tank (30) by an arbitrary depth, a portion at a boundary between the wide groove (71) and the slender groove (51), constitutes an air exchanging hole (61) having a small section and is of a size to a degree by which a coagulating force of an ink solution produced inside the wide groove (71) does not hamper air bubbles supplied from the air exchanging hole (61) constituting the boundary portion from being bloated up.
Here, a xe2x80x9cmeniscusxe2x80x9d refers to a state for hermetically sealing a slender groove or a slender gap by filling the slender groove or the slender gap by the ink solution by surface tension or capillary force of the ink solution.
Therefore, the ink introducing groove (71) constituted by the wide groove in the ink guide groove (51, 71) can restrict air communication between the temporary holding groove (52) and the ink tank (30) while passing air bubbles and can make the ink solution flow between the temporary ink reserve groove (52) and the ink tank (30) in accordance with inner pressure of the ink tank (30).
Further, the invention described in claim 1 is characterized in that a total of an opening portion (78) to the temporary ink reserve groove (72) communicated from the ink introducing groove (71) constituted by the wide groove is constituted by a very small groove (78) having a very small section and is made airtight by a meniscus of ink and a meniscus of the air exchanging hole (61) is easy to destruct more than the meniscus of the very small groove (78).
Therefore, outside air supplied to the temporary ink reserve groove (52, 72) via the air supplying portion and supplied from the temporary ink reserve groove (52, 72) to the ink tank (30) via the ink guide groove (51, 71), necessarily passes through the air exchanging hole (61), becomes air bubbles from the ink introducing groove (71) constituted by the wide groove and supplied to the ink tank (30).
Further, the invention described in claim 4 is characterized in that, in the invention described in claim 1, there is provided an ink supply groove (77) for supplying ink from the temporary ink reserve groove (52, 72) to the opening portion to the wide groove (71) and the ink introducing groove (71) constituted by the wide groove is provided with a slender gap as an ink guide gap (79).
Here, an xe2x80x9cink supply groove (77)xe2x80x9d is provided over an entire length of the ink introducing groove (71) in the ink introducing groove (71) constituted by the wide groove and firmly forms the meniscus at the very small groove (78) by filling the ink solution.
Further, an xe2x80x9cink introducing gap (79)xe2x80x9d is provided over the entire length of the ink introducing groove (71) and guides the ink solution to the ink introducing groove (71) by capillary force.
Therefore, ink from the ink tank (30) can swiftly be filled in the ink introducing groove (71).
Further, the invention described in claim 5 is characterized in that, in the invention described in claim 4, the ink guide groove (71) constituted by the wide groove and the temporary ink reserve groove (72) opened to the wide groove (71) are separated by a partition wall (74) forming an opening portion to the wide groove (71) by a very small interval (78) communicating with the temporary ink reserve groove (72), a corner portion of the partition wall (74) on a side thereof to the wide groove (71) is subjected to face-cutting and the ink supply groove (77) having a strong boundary tension with ink is formed by an apex portion of a wedge-shaped space formed by the face-cut portion (76) and an inner face of an axial cylinder.
Therefore, the ink supplying groove (77) is easy to form and the meniscus can be formed swiftly and firmly.
Further, according to the invention described in claim 6 in the invention, there is provided a writing implement having a collector (10) for adjusting a change in a pressure inside an ink tank (30) between a tip (20) and the ink tank (30), wherein the collector (10) includes a principal portion (50), a partitioning portion (60) provided continuously to the principal portion (50) on a side thereof to the ink tank (30) and an extended portion (70) provided continuously to the partitioning portion (60) on a side thereof to the ink tank (30), wherein at an outer periphery of the principal portion (50), there are provided an ink guide groove (51) formed from a side of the ink tank (30) to a side of the tip (20), a principal-portion air groove (53) formed from the side of the tip (20) to the side of the ink tank (30) while being prevented from intersecting with the ink guide groove (51) and a principal-portion temporary ink reserve groove (52) formed to intersect with the ink guide groove (51) and the principal-portion air groove (53), at an outer periphery of the partitioning portion (60), there are formed an air exchanging hole (61) formed continuously to the ink guide groove (51) and a partitioning-portion air groove (62) formed continuously to the principal-portion air groove (53) while being prevented from intersecting with the air exchanging hole (61), at an outer periphery of the extended portion (70), there are formed an ink introducing groove (71) formed continuously to the air exchanging hole (61), an extended-portion air groove (73) formed continuously to the partitioning-portion air groove (62) while being prevented from intersecting with the ink introducing groove (71) and an extended-portion temporary ink reserve groove (72) formed to intersect with the extended-portion air groove (73) and not to intersect with the ink introducing groove (71).
Here, a xe2x80x9ccollector (10)xe2x80x9d refers to a constitution for adjusting the pressure change inside the ink tank (30).
Further, a xe2x80x9cprincipal portion (50)xe2x80x9d refers to a portion formed substantially similar to a total of the conventional collector (100). Further, a length from an end portion of the principal portion (50) on the side of the tip (20) to an end portion thereof on the side of the ink tank (30) is made to be formed to be substantially equal to a length from an end portion of the conventional collector (100) on the side of the tip (20) to an end portion thereof on the side of the ink tank (30).
Further, a xe2x80x9cpartitioning portion (60)xe2x80x9d refers to a portion provided continuously to the principal portion (50) on the side of the ink tank (30).
Further, an xe2x80x9cextended portion (70)xe2x80x9d refers to a portion provided continuously to the partitioning portion (60) on the side of the ink tank (30).
That is, the collector (10) according to the invention is constituted by providing the partitioning portion (60) and the extended portion (70) continuously to the conventional collector (100) on the side of the ink tank (30) to thereby prolong a total length thereof.
Further, an xe2x80x9cink guide groove (51)xe2x80x9d refers to a groove provided at the outer periphery of the principal portion (50) and formed from the side of the ink tank (30) to the side of the tip (20). Further, the ink guide groove (51) is formed not to communicate directly without side of the writing implement. That is, the ink guide groove (51) is formed substantially similar to the ink guide groove (130) provided at the conventional collector (100).
Further, a xe2x80x9cprincipal-portion air groove (53)xe2x80x9d refers to a groove provided at the outer periphery of the principal portion (50) and formed from the side of the tip (20) to the side of the ink tank (30) while being prevented from intersecting with the ink guide groove (51). The principal-portion air groove (53) communicates with outside of the writing implement. That is, the principal-portion air groove (53) is formed substantially similar to the air groove (140) provided at the conventional collector (100).
Further, xe2x80x9cprincipal-portion temporary ink reserve groove (52)xe2x80x9d refers to a groove provided at the outer periphery of the principal portion (50) and formed to intersect with the ink guide groove (51) and the principal-portion air groove (53). That is, the principal-portion air groove (53) is formed substantially similar to the temporary ink reserve groove (150) provided at the conventional collector (100).
Further, an xe2x80x9cair exchanging hole (61)xe2x80x9d refers to a groove having a small sectional area provided at the outer periphery of the partitioning portion (60) and formed continuously to the ink guide groove (51).
Further, a xe2x80x9cpartitioning-portion air groove (62)xe2x80x9d refers to a groove provided at the outer periphery of the partitioning portion (60) and formed continuously to the principal-portion air groove (53) while being prevented from intersecting with the air exchanging hole (61).
Further, an xe2x80x9cink introducing groove (71)xe2x80x9d refers to a groove provided at the outer periphery of the extended portion (70) and formed continuously to the air exchanging hole (61). Further, the ink introducing groove (71) communicates with the ink tank (30).
Further, an xe2x80x9cextended-portion air groove (73)xe2x80x9d refers to a groove provided at the outer periphery of the extended portion (70) and formed continuously to the partitioning-portion air groove (62) while being prevented from intersecting with the ink introducing groove (71). Further, the extended-portion air groove (73) is formed not to communicate directly with the ink tank (30).
Further, an xe2x80x9cextended-portion temporary ink reserve groove (72)xe2x80x9d refers to a groove provided at the outer periphery of the extended portion (70) and formed to intersect with the extended-portion air groove (73) and not to intersect with the ink introducing groove (71).
In this way, according to the collector (10) of the invention, although in view from the conventional collector (100), only the length of the portion in correspondence with the partitioning portion (60) and the extended portion (70) is extended, by providing the air exchanging hole (61) continuous to the ink guide groove (51) at the outer periphery of the partitioning portion (60), providing the ink introducing groove (71) continuous to the air exchanging hole (61) at the outer periphery of the extended portion (70), further, preventing the ink introducing groove (71) and the extended-portion temporary ink reserve groove (72) from intersecting with each other, there can be constituted the writing implement in which ink does not leak out from the front end of the tip (20).
Further the invention described in claim 7 in the invention is characterized in that, in addition to the constitution of the invention described in claim 6, the ink introducing groove (71) is formed such that a side thereof to the tip (20) is made shallow and a side thereof to the ink tank (30) is made deep.
For example, by inclining a bottom face (75) of the ink introducing groove (71), the side of the tip (20) can be made shallow, further, the side of the ink tank (30) can be made deep.
In this way, by forming the ink introducing groove (71) such that the side of the tip (20) is made shallow, further, and that the side of the ink tank (30) is made deep, air bubbles inside the ink introducing groove (71) are drawn swiftly to the ink tank (30).
Further, the invention described in claim 8 in the invention is characterized in that, in addition to the constitution of the invention described in claim 6 or 7, a face-cut portion (76) is formed at a surrounding of the ink introducing groove (71).
Here, a xe2x80x9cface-cut portion (76)xe2x80x9d refers to a portion formed in a shape of cutting off a surrounding of the ink introducing groove (71).
In this way, by providing the face-cut portion (76) at the surrounding of the ink introducing groove (71), ink is conducted between the face-cut portion (76) and the inner peripheral face of the ink containing cylinder (40) and, therefore, the ink introducing groove (71) is swiftly filled with ink.